Observations of all the Kings of England, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
RICHARD the first.
HE was for his valour sirnamed Coeur de Lion, Statura corporis fuit justa, lata & bonesta facie, in qua multum gratiae, gravitatuque incrat; sed quò pulchrior corpore, hoc animi altitudine praestantior, undo non immeritò cognomen invenit, qui cor Leonis vocatus est. Polyd. Virg. Ang hist l. 14. Illud innuere videtur Richardum inter Angliae Reges primum usum fuisse Leonino gestamine, quod ei prae caeteris cognomen inderetur. Cor Leonis à pictura… clypei (ni vana conjectura) derivatum. Nam é clypeis & armaturis nomina saepe acceperunt tum antiqui, tum recentiores. Spelman…i Aspilogia. p 46, 47.or the Lions heart.
Hugh Nevill a Gentleman of noble linage, one of King Richards speciall familiars, is recorded to have slain a Lion in the holy land,Weevers ancient Funerall-Monuments. driving first an Arrow into his brest, and then running him through with his Sword. Whereupon this Hexameter was made.
Viribus Hugonis vires periere Leonis. The strength of Hugh a Lion slew.
Which atchievment belike was transferred from the man to the Master, and the Story applied to the King, by name of King Richard, Coeur de Lion. But this is only Weevers opinion.
He was crowned at Westminster, by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury.
He being at dinner in his Hall of Westminster, hearing the French King besieged Vernoy…e, he swore that he would never turn his face, till he had fought with him, if he did abide, and caused the wall to be broken before him, and so passed to Normandy; and receiving his brother Iohn to mercy, raised the siege; for the French King fled as soon as he heard of Kings Richards coming.
A Prince of a most haughty mind, and full of resolution, born for the Weal of Christendome,Cambdens Brittannia in Oxfordshire. the honour of England, and the terrour of Infidels.
With the beams of his victories atchieved in Cypres and Syria, Id. ib. in Barkshire.he made our Countrey of England most famous, and renowned through the world.
He had trained up in his Court a Rymer or Minstrell, called Blondell de Neste, who being so long without the sight of his Lord, his life seemed wearisome to him. It was known that he came back from the holy land, but none could tell in what Countrey he arrived. Whereupon this Blondell resolving to make search for him in many Countries,Histoire d' Angleterre Par Andre Du Chesne. l. 1…. but he would hear some news of him; after expence of divers dayes in travell, he came to a Town (by good hap) near to the Castle where his Master King Richard was kept.Theater of honour. Book 5. c. 1… Of his Host he demanded to whom the Castle appertained, and the Host told him it belonged to the Duke of Austria. Then he enquired whether any prisoner was there detained or no, for alwayes he made such secret questionings, wheresoever he came; and the Host answered, that there was one only prisoner, but he knew not what he was, and yet he had been detained there more then the space of a year. When Blondell heard this, he used such meanes, that he became acquainted with them of the Castle, as Minstrels do easily win acquaintance any where; but see the King he could not, neither understand that it was he. One day he sate directly before a window of the Castle, where King Richard was kept prisoner, and began to sing a song in French, which King Richard and Blondell had sometime composed together. When King Richard heard the song, he knew it was Blondell that sung it; and when Blondell paused at half of the song, the King entreated him to sing the rest. Thus Blondell won knowledge of the King his Master, and returning home into England, made the Barons of the Countrey acquainted where the King was.
Whereas before his time,Sheriffs and Maiors of London first ordained. the City of London was governed by Portgraves, he granted them to be governed by two Sheriffs and a Maior, as now it is.
Iohn the Kings brother making an incursion up to Beauvois, where the Bishop being also an Earl of the royall bloud, and the eleventh Peer of France, valiantly fighting, was taken in the skirmish, armed at all points, and bravely mounted; on whose behalf the Pope (upon the Bishops humble suit, pleading the Clergies immunity) wrote somewhat earnestly to King Richard, to set his very dear son, for so he called the Bishop, at liberty. The King in a kind of pleasant earnestness,Alluding to that Gen. 37. 33. caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop, to be presented to the Pope, with this question, Vide an tunica filii tui sit an non. Whereupon the Pope replied,Hollinsh. and Speeds Chron. That he was neither his son, nor the son of the Church; and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings will, because he was rather judged to be a servitor of Mars, then a souldier of Christ.
In his time were those famous Out-laws, called Robin-hood and Little Iohn.
He was wounded in the arm, by an Arrow shot at him out of a Cross-bow, by Peter Bisile, of which wound he died within four dayes after.